The Long Good Friday

[Josealb]

I saw this movie a couple of days ago, and reckon this to be one of the very best i've seen. Anybody familiar with it?

Its the ultimate British gangster film. I had a little trouble with the cockney accents (there are no subs available for this...i spent a week looking for em), but me ear got tuned to it after a while. Word of advice to the interested in watching this...stay away from the trailer. 70's and early 80's movie trailers seem to always manage to spoil something.

[Teazer]

That was a brilliant film.

[Michael]

Excellent film for sure. If you liked that, I'd suggest the original "Get Carter" (1971) with Michael Caine. Do NOT bother with the remake using Sly Stallone.

[Josealb]

Will get it, Thanks michael.

[kenneth delves]

Probably the best brit gangster film ever, Hoskins was brilliant. Also Check out 'Brighton Rock'

[Josealb]

Downloading Brighton Rock and Get Carter as i write this. Thanks a bunch for the recommends.

Watched Layer Cake recently also, pretty damn good as well....

"You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake, son."

[kenneth delves]

Brighton Rock[based on a Graham Greene novel] was the beginning of more gritty realistic post war cinema[1947] after the [often well made] war films which in general lauded the officer class. The death sentence was still around[by hanging] and the razor was the villain's weapon of choice, the film caused quite a stir in its day.

[Felipe Bidó]

Given the recommendations, I wanna see that movie. Jose, get the USB disk ready.

[Andy_S]

"Long Good Friday" is a terrific film - Hoskins' best ever (one of Piers Brosnan's earliest roles, too). I prefer it to "Get Carter," but for two for the price of one - with some very nasty sleaze and violence - you might want to check out "Mona Lisa" with Hoskins AND Caine.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=F8CAdm_1gZA

And of course, the ultimate British cops and gangstas film is "The Sweeney" (a spin-off from the TV series). Teh second one - about the gang of armed robbers living on Malta with their families who go back to London for "one last job"which, naturally goes horribly pear-shaped is the best. Classic scene when the top villain goes fishing with a sawn-off Purdey.
Sweeney 1
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rebjsci5VAY
(Cheesy trailor, but you get the drift)
Sweeney 2
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=09luU0hovfI
Worth tracking this film down.

Then there is Oliver Reed at his most brutal in "Sitting Target." Reed is a very, very violent con who busts out of pokey - but has to murder his chearing wife before fleeing the country. Great jailbreak at the beginning, and Reed causing all sorts of savage mayhem for rest of film. DO NOT WATCH PAST 3:37 ON THIS CLIP! MASSIVE SPOILERS!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jt6NDWtHz9Y

Oh, and as Delvesy says, check out "Brighton Rock." Dated but brilliant perf by Attenborough. One of Scorcese's fave films, apparently.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xOfRPeqBEQ8

Avoid, at all costs, "The Krays" - which is utter krap. (It stars the tossers from Spandau Ballet, so you can guess how shite it would be.)

[Dmitri]

Thanks Jose and all -- just got it on my Netflix queue.

[kenneth delves]

'Sexy Beast' is another interesting movie, although Ben Kingsley , a fine actor, comes off as totally unconvincing as a psycho, Ian McShane, previously known for his comedy series Lovejoy[recommended-particularly if you are into antiques], was on the other hand, chilling, this came out later in' Deadwood'

[Andy_S]

Delvesy:

RE: "Sexy Beast"
Oh, never heard of it, will have to look it up. Odd that Kinglsey didn't pull the role off -he is a fine thesp.

McShane also played the con who breaks out with Reed in "Sitting Target." I was thinking about this film the other night. While it is by no means the classic that "Long Good Friday" is, Reed's performance as a savagely violent man is chillingly convincing.

[Finny]

Yeah ben kingsley was very disappointing in Sexy Beast

I'd second the Get Carter recommendation. Caine is(was) a true badass

[yusuf]

long good friday is a great film and reflects a lot of what i vaguely remember as a kid in london



I also thought Hoskins was really good in Mona Lisa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Lisa_(film)

[Darth Rock&Roll]

Lock Stock and 2 smoking barrels.
Snatch
Layer Cake
Brick
Get Carter
the Italian Job (the original not the remake)

these are al good gangland films.

anyone seen rock and rolla yet?